14 sep 05
So I’m in the market for a new digital camera. I’ve gone back and forth between getting an ultracompact point-and-shoot or possibly splurging on a used digital SLR or superzoom (larger point-and-shoot with 10 or 12x optical zoom). Anyway, I think I’ve settled on something small, because I’m a novice and want something that can go anywhere.
I realize I’m going to sacrifice some picture quality and obviously manual controls, but here are the things I am hoping for:
I’ve read a lot of reviews, and every one has their pros and cons. I’m pretty excited about the Canon SD30, but it’s not even out yet. If you have any experiences you’d like to share, I’d appreciate it.
Jing / 15 sep 2005 / 10:43 a.m.
in my experience, sony is offering more megapixels for the price. however, canon makes prettier, smaller cameras which offer huge screens. it’s a tough call.
ghani / 15 sep 2005 / 2:26 p.m.
I have a wee Canon and I really love it - it’s not the higher megapixel but it is tiny, and i carry it everywhere and take tons of beautiful pictures. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
nicole / 15 sep 2005 / 5:43 p.m.
I recommend Canons to everyone and anyone who asks. I used to be into Nikon, but I noticed they took a lot of the manual controls away unless you spend big bucks.
I am getting the new Canon A610 when it comes out next month. The only criteria above of yours that it does not fit is it is not TINY, but it is small and it has the coolest flip-out lcd. It’s definitely a camera you can carry in your purse yet still have creative control over.
Kayleigh / 15 sep 2005 / 6:58 p.m.
I would suggest looking at http://dpreview.com/ … they do some great reviews!
Dano / 15 sep 2005 / 7:03 p.m.
I am going to have to join with the cool kids and say go with Canon. The company I work for is a wholesaler of everything photography. I don’t work sales (thank god) but from the customer feedback I have heard Canon tends to score well.
The Canon Powershot SD400 sounds like a good one for you, its 5MP, lithum battery and about the size of a deck of cards.
Also most stores get their new inventory for the christmas season around this time of year. So it may even be on sale or reduced in price in some stores.
Greg / 15 sep 2005 / 8:22 p.m.
Canons are GREAT cameras, but whatever you do do NOT buy a Pentax. My dad bought one and it broke the first week he used it, and when he returned it and got the same one again it broke within a month.
jenn / 15 sep 2005 / 9:23 p.m.
I posed the same question a few days ago but haven’t yet made up my mind. I’m leaning towards one of the SDs, but there are so many….
tiffany / 15 sep 2005 / 10:11 p.m.
Coincidence—I just bought a new digital camera last night. I went with a Canon PowerShot SD500—I’ll blog about it soon!
ez / 15 sep 2005 / 11:02 p.m.
Funny… I bought a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W5 about a month ago. I love it. Best thing I have done in a long time.
The one thing that really annoyed me about my previous camera was the lag between turning it on and ready to capture. Also, the previous one would take forever between captures. This camera solved that perfectly for me.
It definitely meets 3, 4, 6, 8. It is not tiny or pretty (but I like its clean look) and solid feel. I felt like I would break the Canon just by holding it. I am not sure about the others.
Teresa / 15 sep 2005 / 11:38 p.m.
Maura, I have a Canon S200 (it’s super old) and it’s still working great. It’s only 2 MP, but it’s sufficient for everyday pictures. I’ve been dying to get a new Canon though. They are so compact and the picture quality is pretty good.
The SD30 looks pretty hot. Now I want the black one. Thanks a lot!
Richard / 15 sep 2005 / 9:51 a.m.
Seems like I’ve been seeing a lot of people looking for new digital cameras lately. I’m in the same boat, but I can’t decide whether to stick with a small one or continue to save for a dSLR.
I cannot offer personal experience with this particular camera, but Mike Davidson seems to like his Casio EX-750. It’s small and is 7.2 megapixels and seems to be close to the prices of the Canon you mentioned in your post.
You’ll notice a warning on his post added after the review. Basically, if I understand it correctly the Casio allows itself to turn on via Play/Record buttons that are easily pressed if the camera is in your pocket. The lens tries to expand, but since the cover is closed the lens motor gets out of alingment. To fix this I think you have to disable the power on features for those buttons.
Just a thought, because this is a camera I am considering the Casio too. But I really want a Canon Rebel XT.
P.S. I can’t remember if you allow html in comments. I apologize if the code gets displayed.